Valerie Carter-Mitchell Bio

Valerie Carter-Mitchell’s passion for art began at age six. She has studied with many artists throughout Florida and Texas. The artist earned her BFA from the University of North Florida. She has instructed all ages and taught early childhood continuing education for area kindergartens. Judging the local and regional levels has been a pleasure to her. Along with her private lessons, taught in her Richardson studio, Valerie has taught both middle and high school levels. Five of last years graduating seniors are seeking degrees in the art field. Among their attended colleges are Pratt Institute, University of North Texas, Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, and the Chicago Art Institute. She is currently instructing in oils, acrylics, charcoal, pastel and watercolor.

Valerie works mainly in oils, oil pastel and soft pastel with a linseed wash. She is a tactile painter moving the paints across the canvas not only with brushes, but also blending with her hands and fingers. She feels a great need to feel her work as it is developing.

Her "Emotions Series" displays her passion for fluid portraits with an emphasis on the subject’s emotional show of expression. This series portrays female models in deep thought. The subject’s face is the focal point lead by fluid color movement in swirls and waves surrounding and wrapping the subject with unusual placement of arms and legs. The feet and hands possess an open gesture of feeling. All show intense feeling about the face. The viewer feels pulled into the painting through the expressions.

Valerie Carter-Mitchell’s florals and facescapes are an extension of the above series using the forces of nature to evoke a feeling of empowerment, frailty, inner beauty or serenity. All are designed to cause a feeling of expression. They are an extension of the artist’s belief, "all things have an impact and value to their existence."

Her works have been gallery featured in Dallas, Texas; Jacksonville, Florida: Santa Fe, New Mexico; and England. She is a charter member of The Contemporary Women’s Community, DVAC, and TVAA. Her art is in corporate collections and foundations throughout the United States. Her most current exhibits were at the University of Texas at Dallas and The Contemporary. She will soon have an online gallery at artfresco.com. Her home gallery is open by appointment.

For contact information, please click here.